Laser scanning 3D technology is gaining prominence in Architecture, Engineering and Construction, aiming to organize space and shape the human environment. Main advantages of laser scanning, such as efficiency, high accuracy and precision, low time consumption, safety, and non-invasiveness, provide technological support for sustainable development goals. Obtaining a point cloud using laser scanning and creating 3D models allows producing a highly detailed computer image of a measuring facility. The resulting spatial model of the building makes it possible to prepare inventory documentation, conduct construction analyses, and widely support technical facility management. The use of detailed data about a single building is becoming possible to enrich BIM (Building Information Modelling) or GEOBIM (geospatial environment with BIM). The present paper discusses the measurement and modelling of buildings using both terrestrial laser scanning. As an auxiliary method, close-range photogrammetry was carried out from an unmanned aerial vehicle. For this purpose, models were created of three facilities located in Poland. Particular attention was drawn to analysing potential errors in mapping. Direct geometry measurements were performed, and statistical analyses, deviations of actual lengths were specified. The results obtained have indicated that the measurement accuracy of existing buildings and its digital model is better than ±1 cm.

BIM (building information modeling) is a kind of technology that has great potential to enhance the level of automation in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) projects. The created virtual model of the facility allows coordinating all industries during the entire life cycle of the building. The possibility to save the data related to the given facility in one place, namely in the BIM model, enables control and management of the AEC projects at every stage. During the design and implementation phase, BIM models facilitate the optimization of time, costs, and quality, and in the operational phase, they support effective management of the facility. The use of BIM for building energy modeling (BEM) is the next step of evolution in architecture and engineering design practice. The benefits of using the BIM approach are widely discussed in the literature; however, they may be hard to achieve if appropriate attention is not directed to minimizing the barriers to the implementation of this technology. Observing Europe, one can notice that western and northern countries successfully use BIM for their needs, while the countries of the Eastern Bloc, including Poland, introduce it at a slower pace. In the present paper, the authors conducted a cause-and-effect analysis of the identified barriers to the implementation of BIM technology in the construction process. For this purpose, the authors applied the Ishikawa diagram, which is a tool that helps to recognize the actual or potential causes of failure. The analysis conducted showed that one of the weakest links in the successful BIM implementation is people and, in particular, their lack of knowledge and reluctance to change. The authors indicated the need to introduce and strengthen preventive actions, mainly through education: training, courses, and studies focused on BIM technology.

The idea of sustainable development and the resulting environmentally friendly attitudes are increasingly used in construction projects. Designing in accordance with the principles of sustainable development has an impact on the costs of construction works. The authors of this paper proposed an approach to estimate the costs of sports field construction using the Case Based Reasoning method. In their analysis, they distinguished 16 factors that affect the cost of a construction project and are possible to already be described at an early stage of its preparation. The original elements of the work include: consideration of such environmental factors as the environmental impact of the building, materials used, the impact of the facility on the surroundings affecting the amount of implementation costs and development of own database containing 143 construction projects that are related to sports fields. In order to calculate the similarity of cases, different calculation formulas were applied depending on the type of data (quantitative, qualitative, uncertain, no data). The obtained results confirmed that the CBR method based on historical data and using criteria related to sustainable development may be useful in cost estimation in the initial phase of a construction project. Its application to the calculation of the costs that are related to the implementation of sports fields generates an error of 14%, which is a very good result for initial calculations. In the short run, such factors as the impact of the object and the type of materials that are used from the perspective of their influence on the environment may be decisive as far as the costs determined in the life cycle of the building are concerned, as well as the lowest costs of the building construction ensuring the appropriate quality and respect for the environment.

This paper proposes the author’s model based on the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to improve the efficiency of contractor bidding decisions. The essence of the AHP method is to make pairwise comparisons of available options against all evaluation criteria. The results of these comparisons are recorded in a square matrix in which symmetrical elements are reciprocal. In the expert opinion, a 9-step, bipolar verbal scale was used so that the symmetry of the response was maintained. For contractors from countries where the tendering system is commonly used, the choice of the right tender in which to participate influences their image, financial condition, and their aspiration to succeed. The bid/no bid decision depends on numerous factors associated with the company itself, the environment, and the project concerning the tender. When facing tough competition, contractors search for a solution which increases their chances of winning the tender. The proposed model was based on factors selected by Polish contractors. The original element of the model involves 4 original criteria and 15 sub-criteria for the assessment of investment decision projects to the selection of the most advantageous contract, i.e., the contractor’s participation in the bid. For verbal evaluations describing the criteria, symmetric triangular fuzzy numbers were assigned. The authors performed an extended analysis method combined with FAHP in the model. Fuzzy evaluations underwent elaborate analysis, the aim of which was to specify the synthetic priority weights for each criterion. As a result of the application of the method, to prove that the model works, an example from the Polish construction market was presented in which a bid/no bid decision about four possible tenders was to be taken. Despite the considered example applying to Polish conditions, the proposed model can be used also in other countries. The authors’ rationale is to produce new and more flexible methodologies in order to realistically model a variety of concrete decision problems.

Cost estimates are essential for the success of construction projects. Neural networks, as the tools of artificial intelligence, offer a significant potential in this field. Applying neural networks, however, requires respective studies due to the specifics of different kinds of facilities. This paper presents the proposal of an approach to the estimation of construction costs of sports fields which is based on neural networks. The general applicability of artificial neural networks in the formulated problem with cost estimation is investigated. An applicability of multilayer perceptron networks is confirmed by the results of the initial training of a set of various artificial neural networks. Moreover, one network was tailored for mapping a relationship between the total cost of construction works and the selected cost predictors which are characteristic of sports fields. Its prediction quality and accuracy were assessed positively. The research results legitimatize the proposed approach.